diff --git a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts
index c99331957c..9562c5cf3f 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts
+++ b/packages/client/src/rpc/modules/debug.ts
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ export class Debug {
       1,
       [[validators.hex]],
     )
+    this.setHead = middleware(callWithStackTrace(this.setHead.bind(this), this._rpcDebug), 1, [
+      [validators.blockOption],
+    ])
     this.verbosity = middleware(callWithStackTrace(this.verbosity.bind(this), this._rpcDebug), 1, [
       [validators.unsignedInteger],
     ])
@@ -457,4 +460,30 @@ export class Debug {
     this.client.config.logger.configure({ level: logLevels[level] })
     return `level: ${this.client.config.logger.level}`
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Sets the current head of the local chain by block number. Note, this is a
+   * destructive action and may severely damage your chain. Use with extreme
+   * caution.
+   * @param blockOpt Block number or tag to set as head of chain
+   */
+  async setHead(params: [string]) {
+    const [blockOpt] = params
+    if (blockOpt === 'pending') {
+      throw {
+        code: INVALID_PARAMS,
+        message: `"pending" is not supported`,
+      }
+    }
+
+    const block = await getBlockByOption(blockOpt, this.chain)
+    try {
+      await this.service.skeleton?.setHead(block, true)
+      await this.service.execution.setHead([block])
+    } catch (e) {
+      throw {
+        code: INTERNAL_ERROR,
+      }
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/client/test/execution/vmexecution.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/execution/vmexecution.spec.ts
index 4b30946748..50c9db8fd6 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/execution/vmexecution.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/execution/vmexecution.spec.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { assert, describe, it } from 'vitest'
 import { Chain } from '../../src/blockchain/index.js'
 import { Config } from '../../src/config.js'
 import { VMExecution } from '../../src/execution/index.js'
-import { closeRPC, setupChain } from '../rpc/helpers.js'
+import { closeRPC, setupChain, testSetup } from '../rpc/helpers.js'
 import { goerliData } from '../testdata/blocks/goerli.js'
 import { mainnetData } from '../testdata/blocks/mainnet.js'
 import { testnetData } from '../testdata/common/testnet.js'
@@ -94,15 +94,6 @@ describe('[VMExecution]', () => {
     assert.equal(exec.vm, vm, 'should use vm provided')
   })
 
-  async function testSetup(blockchain: Blockchain, common?: Common) {
-    const config = new Config({ common, accountCache: 10000, storageCache: 1000 })
-    const chain = await Chain.create({ config, blockchain })
-    const exec = new VMExecution({ config, chain })
-    await chain.open()
-    await exec.open()
-    return exec
-  }
-
   it('Block execution / Hardforks PoW (mainnet)', async () => {
     let blockchain = await createBlockchain({
       validateBlocks: true,
diff --git a/packages/client/test/rpc/debug/setHead.spec.ts b/packages/client/test/rpc/debug/setHead.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..78121b3d1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/client/test/rpc/debug/setHead.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { createBlockchainFromBlocksData } from '@ethereumjs/blockchain'
+import { assert, describe, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { mainnetData } from '../../testdata/blocks/mainnet.js'
+import { createClient, createManager, getRPCClient, startRPC, testSetup } from '../helpers.js'
+
+import type { Blockchain } from '@ethereumjs/blockchain'
+
+const method = 'debug_setHead'
+
+describe(method, async () => {
+  it('call with valid arguments', async () => {
+    const blockchain = await createBlockchainFromBlocksData(mainnetData, {
+      validateBlocks: true,
+      validateConsensus: false,
+    })
+    const blocks = await blockchain.getBlocks(0, 6, 0, false)
+    const exec = await testSetup(blockchain)
+    await exec.run()
+    const newHead = await (exec.vm.blockchain as Blockchain).getIteratorHead!()
+    assert.equal(newHead.header.number, BigInt(5), 'should run all blocks')
+
+    const a = await createClient({ blockchain })
+    await a.service.skeleton?.open()
+    ;(a.service.execution as any) = exec
+
+    const manager = createManager(a)
+    const rpc = getRPCClient(startRPC(manager.getMethods()))
+    assert.equal(
+      await a.service.skeleton?.headHash(),
+      undefined,
+      'should return undefined when head is not set',
+    )
+    for (let i = 0; i < blocks.length; i++) {
+      await rpc.request(method, [`0x${i}`])
+      assert.deepEqual(
+        await a.service.skeleton?.headHash()!,
+        blocks[i].header.hash(),
+        `skeleton chain should return hash of block number ${i} set as head`,
+      )
+      assert.deepEqual(
+        a.service.execution.chainStatus?.hash!,
+        blocks[i].header.hash(),
+        `vm execution should set hash to new head`,
+      )
+    }
+  }, 30000)
+})
diff --git a/packages/client/test/rpc/helpers.ts b/packages/client/test/rpc/helpers.ts
index 71d71d5251..5796bc4441 100644
--- a/packages/client/test/rpc/helpers.ts
+++ b/packages/client/test/rpc/helpers.ts
@@ -348,3 +348,12 @@ export const batchBlocks = async (rpc: HttpClient, inputBlocks: any[]) => {
     assert.equal(res.result.status, 'VALID')
   }
 }
+
+export async function testSetup(blockchain: Blockchain, common?: Common) {
+  const config = new Config({ common, accountCache: 10000, storageCache: 1000 })
+  const chain = await Chain.create({ config, blockchain })
+  const exec = new VMExecution({ config, chain })
+  await chain.open()
+  await exec.open()
+  return exec
+}